1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wheeled carrier for carrying diverse objects. The carrier has a body, wheels, small receptacles mounted on the body, carrying racks projecting from the body, and a handle. The wheels operate with surrounding skids, so that negotiation of sand is practical. The novel carrier is particularly suitable for carrying foods, clothes, bathing and recreational accessories on sandy terrain, such as at beaches and in desert areas. Of course, articles other than recreational materials may be carried. Scientific, photographic, surveying, archeological, geological exploration, and many other types of tools, implements, and materials could be advantageously transported over sandy terrain by the novel carrier.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Transporting diverse articles over sandy terrain can be quite tiresome and time consuming. When beachgoers, hikers, campers, and others engaging in recreational activities at a locale in sandy terrain remotely from their mode of transportation, it is frequently necessary to lug along food, drinks, camping gear, reading materials, and other accessories. General purpose luggage is not highly suitable even for a short trip to a selected camping spot or similar destination, since it must be both grasped and carried above and out of contact with the ground. Wheeled carts are unsuitable for negotiating sandy terrain since wheels are notoriously inefficient in sand. A wagon or cart having wheels as large as six inches in diameter may encounter resistance so great that the wheels do not contribute to mobility.
Wheeled vehicles intended for use at beaches or for carrying a variety of articles including food and other items suitable for picnics and related recreational activities are known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,545, issued to Peter J. McCusker on Jun. 20, 1995, illustrates a wheeled cart having a bottom surface designed to slide over sand. The device of McCusker lacks the external storage receptacles, collapsible towing handle, and relatively small skids disposed below and tiltable relative to the principal storage compartment of the present invention. It would be possible in some situations for the device of McCusker to become immobilized on sandy ridges should the wheels become trapped in sand, since the bottom surface of his cart is not tiltable. By contrast, individual skids on the novel cart can swivel about the axis of the associated wheel, thereby accommodating localized irregularities in topography.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,668, issued to Edwin H. Mares on May 20, 1986, describes a two wheeled tiltable cart having skis disposed thereon, one ski being disposed to one side of its associated wheel. By contrast with the device of Mares, the present invention has four wheels and four skis, each ski extending on both lateral sides of its associated wheel. Mares also lacks the storage structure of the present invention, a collapsing tow handle, and a collapsible storage rack.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,157, issued to Sharon H. Resnick on Oct. 21, 1986, describes a beach cart primarily negotiating sand by skis. Each of the two skis has a wheel disposed at the small, inclined forward section. By contrast, the present invention has wheels disposed at the large horizontal portions of their respective skis. Also, there are four wheels and four skis. Resnick's cart lacks the storage features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,285,656, issued to Calvin R. Peters on Feb. 15, 1994, 5,306,029, issued to Ronald R. Kaiser, II on Apr. 26, 1994, 5,407,218, and issued to Steven C. Jackson on Apr. 18, 1995, exemplify wheeled carts having significant enclosed storage, insulated compartments, draw handles, and other amenities for transporting diverse articles. These inventions all lack the combination of storage racks and compartments as well as the combined skids and wheels of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,347, issued to Ignazio Palmeri et al. on Feb. 20, 1996, describes a two wheeled cart for use in carrying articles on the beach. This device lacks the four combined wheels and skids as well as the many carrying features of the present invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.